Aubergines with Mozzarella & Parmesan

I love, love, love me some Italian food, I won’t say it again (I promise, lol!). I’m scouring the recipe world looking for delicious vegetarian dishes, because I’m a carnivore of sorts. I love me some meat! I don’t go a day without it, it’s almost like I’m missing something very important. I need to break out of that, and feed my body more vegetables and dairy for calcium. Flipping through this book, I came across this recipe; it almost looks like lasagna with a crunchy cheese crust on top. Yummy, Yummy, to my tummy! I’m going to try it this weekend for sure, and if it’s as good as it looks, I’ll include it on next week’s menu. If you have any Vegetarian recipes to share, please feel free. ENJOY!

Yields 6-8 Servings

3 Eggplants, sliced thinly
Olive oil, for brushing
10½ oz of mozzarella di bufala, sliced
1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp, dried, uncolored bread crumbs
1 tbsp, butter
Sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish

Tomato and basil sauce:

2 tbsp, virgin olive oil
4 shallots, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
14oz canned tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
8 fresh basil leaves, shredded
salt & pepper (TT)

1. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on one or two large baking sheets. Brush with olive oil and bake in a preheated oven, 400ºF, for 15-20 minutes, until tender but not collapsing.
2. Meanwhile, make the tomato and basil sauce. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom pan; add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, with their can juices, and break them up with a wooden spoon. Stir in sugar, and season to taste (TT) with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened. Stir in Basil leaves
3. Brush an ovenproof dish with olive oil and arrange half the eggplant slices in the bottom. Cover with half the mozzarella, spoon over half the tomato sauce, and sprinkle with half the Parmesan. Mix the remaining Parmesan with the breadcrumbs. Make more layers, ending with the Parmesan mixture.
4. Dot the top with butter and bake for 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes, before slicing and serving, garnished with parsley.


Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
www.divinecuisineepc.com
info@divinecuisineepc.com

"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".